By Joel Ogwang

AT LEAST 600 residents of Mukono are ready to become outgrowers of the Sugar Corporation of Uganda (SCOUL), the district LC5 chairman, Francis Lukooya, has said. Lukooya said the developmet was aimed at saving the 7,100 hectares of Mabira forest the Lugazi-based company wanted to use to grow the sugarcane.

“We have 6,000 hectares of land ready for sugarcane growing,” he said, adding that the land was around SCOUL’s plantations.

Lukooya said SCOUL’s outgrowers scheme was in line with the Government’s Bona Bagaggawale (Wealth for All) scheme.

He said a study conducted by the district showed that outgrowers could produce more tonnage of sugarcane than if SCOUL cultivated Mabira forest land.

“Residents will earn money by selling their sugarcane to SCOUL. This will boost their incomes and help in the fight against poverty,” Lukooya said at the hand-over of 29 motorcycles from the finance ministry to beneficiaries of the Bonna Bagaggawale scheme.

Each of the 28 sub-counties and four town councils of Mukono are to receive one motorcycle, he said.

Lukooya said: “There will not be any excuse for losing it. A sub-county chairman will have to sell his/her own property to replace that one lost.”

George Gakwandi, the chief administrative officer, warned the recipients against misusing the motorcycles.